It's the movie about the making of a movie that was actually not a movie. Also starring Tom Cruise! Join a group of bewildered actors as they fight for their lives through the jungles of Laos. How did that happen?

Well, if you saw the trailer then you already know that struggling director Damien Cockburn (no, that's not a typo and he's played by Steve Coogan) is under pressure to produce an award winning film adaptation of Four Leaf Tayback's (Nick Nolte) Vietnam novel. Four Leaf advises Cockburn to take his pampered actors away from the backlots and into the real jungles of Vietnam to get some genuine performances outta them.

Things go terribly, but amusingly, wrong when a nearby drug producing gang called the Flaming Dragons believe the actors to be Drug Enforcement agents and attack them. It doesn't take too long for the celebrities to realize that this is not part of the script. Of course, some take a little longer to accept this fact.

"Tropic Thunder" is actually funny. It starts off strong with faux trailers and ads featuring some of the main characters. Then there was a bit of a lull as I impatiently waited for the troupe to drop down in the wilds so the real mayhem could begin. I can't say it's the best comedy of the year but I laughed and I was thoroughly entertained so it was more than decent.

Let's focus on a major point about this movie which is Robert Downey Jr's role as Kirk Lazarus, an acclaimed actor that has enough Oscars to fill a bread basket. Lazarus accepts the role of "Sgt. Osiris". The actor is so committed to portraying the African American officer that he undergoes cosmetic surgery to further authenticate his portrayal. Some might take the performance as a painful reminder of those "glory days" of minstrel shows and blackfaced performers and I sympathize with anyone who didn't like this gag.

So now I'll probably get blasted for saying that Downey Jr's performance was the number one reason I bought a ticket for this picture. I saw the trailer and I was hysterical. I was tickled and kind of awed at how spot on he was. I'm sorry but he did remind me of some uncles of mine.

I just took it for what it was in the context of the movie: an overcommitted actor turns himself into a "dude" to play a "dude."

It also helps that his behavior isn't completely accepted by everyone. Brandon T. Jackson plays "Alpa Cino," a rap star/entrepeneur turned actor and is Lazurus' co-star. He is constantly reminding Lazurus that he's really an Australian white guy underneath the makeup. That's the joke. Lazarus is so over the top that he comes off as a walking stereotype despite Alpa Cino's warnings to knock off the "Chicken George" routine. If this was a real drama in real Hollywood that kind of portrayal, theoretically, wouldn't make it past the censors. But in the warped reality that "Tropic Thunder" takes place in Lazarus believes he's just perfecting his art.....while everyone else looks at him like he's crazy. And there's the punchline.

Another controversy is the scene where Lazarus and co-star Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller) have a conversation about the proper method of, ahem and I quote, "playing a retard" in a film. Again, I can totally understand why people would be upset about this scene. And again, as an average movie goer person I just took the scene for what it truly was: a humorous knock at the actors who have won critical acclaim for playing mentally handicapped characters as well as showing the callousness of the two characters sharing the dialogue.

It is a comedy and when it comes to comedy, especially these days, virtually everything is fair game. However, if you know you're gonna find a white man playing a black man or a joke that involves mental retardation offensive then this is definitely not the movie for you.

I lovingly encourage you to move on to another film that will entertain and not offend you. And more power and support to those who are speaking out against these issues by not buying a ticket and raising their voices.

Phew! All that being said I think I'll just end this little review by saying again that I liked the movie and thought that it was amusing. Though Downey Jr. is the main attraction the movie would be kinda one note without the ensemble talents of Stiller, Jackson, Jack Black and Jay Baruchel. Expect some unexpected sightings of Matthew McConaughey as Tugg Speedman's agent and Tom Cruise as the majorly aggressive (and potty mouthed) executive producer for the movie along with a few more star cameos.